<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>make you purple all over by vix_vivere</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24872263">make you purple all over</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/vix_vivere/pseuds/vix_vivere'>vix_vivere</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>gratsu week 2020 [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fairy Tail</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>A little angst, Descriptions of wounds, Fighting, Fluffy, Gratsu - Freeform, Gratsu Week 2020, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Nightmares, gray is sad sometimes</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 09:55:18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,304</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24872263</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/vix_vivere/pseuds/vix_vivere</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"So.." Natsu mumbles after the awkward silence between them lingers for an uncomfortable amount of time before he looks up at Gray, a cheeky grin forming upon his lips, "you wanted to kiss me?"</p><p>"I have no idea what you're talking about."</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Natsu Dragneel/Gray Fullbuster</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>gratsu week 2020 [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1812205</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>98</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Gratsu Week 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>make you purple all over</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>hiii there's so much going on in my life rn but I made time to write!! i feel bad because I didn't post anything during pride :(( but hey I have a couple of stories started for this week. also all of these stories are out of order with the prompts. sorryyyyy!!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>...</p><p> </p><p>It seemed to Gray that it happened very slowly, and then very suddenly. It had been building up steadily for years, but the idea of losing Natsu forever was the straw that broke the camel's back.</p><p>Their bond was slowly changing from friendship into... something else. Something big. Something that was up to them to decide what exactly it was between the two of them.</p><p>It happened on long missions with the team (and even longer train rides). It happened in their secret river place, the sunny and lively place that it was. But it also happened with broken spirits and broken bones, tinged with crimson blood. And with anger and passion and joy.</p><p>They would engage in battles and fights, not to hurt each other, but to better each other. And while everyone thought they "hated" each other, they truly knew one another better than anyone else.</p><p>And a few funny habits had developed as well. Natsu had taken a liking to laying across Gray's lap during any form of transportation, taking steady breaths to quell the agonizing churning in his stomach.</p><p>And after long and tiring missions, the two would simply lean against each other with aching bones and weary hearts, exhaustion eventually lulling them into sleep while Lucy and Erza informed the client that they were done.</p><p>Indeed, their relationship was definitely developing into something.</p><p>Gray didn't even know how far deep his feelings went until Natsu was bleeding out and dying in his arms. Gray's face had been far bloodier and beat up than Natsu's, but the pink-haired boy's abdomen was the real kicker. It had been slashed and sliced by the sadistic blades of a high class mage from a dark guild and Gray had to push back his tears as he used Natsu's vest to put pressure on the bleeding wounds.</p><p>Gray couldn't panic. Not right now. He needed a clear head.</p><p>Natsu was delirious due to the heavy amount of blood loss, his eyes drooping more and more by the minute. Everything except Natsu's wheezing gasps for air was unimportant to Gray. Nothing was more important than Natsu.</p><p>"You can't die you bastard," Gray growled, sweat forming on his bloodied forehead, "I haven't even kissed you yet."</p><p>He didn't even know why he said it, mouth moving on its own, revealing his subconscious thoughts.</p><p>Natsu was quiet though, and Gray didn't think he heard the confession, but then a sly grin appeared on Natsu's face, "Shoulda made your move sooner, Droopy Eyes."</p><p> </p><p>...</p><p> </p><p>Natsu survived, just like he always does, of course. And he didn't forget what Gray said either.</p><p>"So.." Natsu mumbles after the awkward silence between them lingers for an uncomfortable amount of time before he looks up at Gray, a cheeky grin forming upon his lips, "you wanted to kiss me?"</p><p>They were alone in the infirmary. Natsu, littered with bruises and scratches, had bandages wrapped tightly across his abdomen. Gray was sitting in the chair next to him.</p><p>"I have no idea what you're talking about." Gray denies strongly, leaning his head on one of his hands as an attempt to act like the words didn't affect him. He breaks eye contact and drops his gaze to the floor.</p><p><em>"Youuuu wannaa kisss meee!" </em>The pink-haired boy sings in reply.</p><p>"You're high, dumbass." The tips of Gray's mouth tilting up in amusement despite himself.</p><p>Natsu is silent for a second before he leans forward and pulls Gray closer to the bed. He sits up a little bit, using Gray to hold onto, before leaning closer and slanting his lips against Gray's. It wasn't really the greatest kiss ever, Natsu not being in his right mind at all, but Natsu smiles against his lips and it makes Gray smile too.</p><p>"I'm goin' to sleep now." Natsu's eyes are drooping from exhaustion as he slumps against his pillow. "M gonna redo that kiss later, 'kay?"</p><p>Gray scoffs before fondly adjusting the covers over the dragon slayer.</p><p>"You better."</p><p> </p><p>...</p><p> </p><p>They first time they kiss for real (and Natsu isn't high on painkillers) it's raining lightly. Water drips down both of their foreheads, wet streaks tinted red from their inflicted wounds, courtesy of the dark mages they just fought off. Natsu's hair is plastered to his forehead and they're both soaked to the bone, but Gray leans in and kisses him anyway, gently cradling the dragon slayer in his arms. It's kind of romantic, Gray figures, for them at least.</p><p>They don't talk about it on the way back from the mission, but instead of Natsu going back to his little cottage in the woods with Happy, Gray finds that Natsu is walking home with him instead.</p><p>Before they even knew it, they were on the couch half naked in Gray's apartment, experimenting and kissing and touching in ways they never had before.</p><p> </p><p>...</p><p> </p><p>"So.. are we like.. together?" Natsu asks, resting comfortably against the soft pillows of Gray's bed, a sheet half on his body and his hair scruffed up more than usual. There are bruises and bite marks displayed on various parts of his body, due to their passion from the night before. Natsu still can't feel his legs (not like he's going to ever admit it though).</p><p>Gray raises an eyebrow at the unexpected question and runs a hand through his hair, "Well.. do you want to be..?"</p><p>"Well, yeah.. if you want to. I mean, I <em>would </em>enjoy showing you off.."</p><p>"Why?" Gray blushes lightly.</p><p>"Why? I mean, look at you!" Natsu gestures to Gray's body.</p><p>Natsu laughs and pokes at Gray's cheeks as they get redder. Gray smacks his hand away and grumbles to himself. (All of the more reason Natsu would like to tell the world that Gray Fullbuster is his boyfriend.)</p><p>Gray scoffs one more time before murmuring, "Sure." he looks down and offers a small, genuine smile before leaning down to place a kiss on Natsu's waiting lips.</p><p>"So.." Natsu starts as they pull away for air, "what <em>do </em>normal couples do?"</p><p>"Well..uh shit I don't know?" Gray answers dumbly. "Probably the same thing we're doing now.. I think?"</p><p>Natsu laughs at him but nods all the same, a grin spreading across his boyish face. It really is unfair how pretty he is.</p><p> </p><p>...</p><p><br/>
Natsu found out that Gray had nightmares almost a day after he moved in with him. They weren't just normal nightmares though, they were bad, reducing the usually calm and collected Gray Fullbuster into a shuddering, gasping mess. On the fifth night of Natsu staying with him, Gray was drenched in sweat, mumbling incoherent words and thrashing around. Natsu didn't have time to think of how to soothe him before he shot up, eyes wide.</p><p>Natsu reached out, but Gray flinched and turned away from him. Natsu would be lying if it hadn't stung.</p><p>As the days went by, Natsu observed that Gray always mutters and mumbles and thrashes in his sleep. He wished that the ice mage would open up to him and let Natsu help, but he supposes that they were always bad at words anyway.</p><p>(If only he would just let Natsu hold him.)</p><p>Whenever Natsu tried to bring it up, Gray would change the subject. Natsu respected that he didn't want to talk about it, but Gray having vicious nightmares in his sleep more than three times a week was beginning cause some worry. Natsu wanted to help, somehow, whenever Gray woke up frantic and screaming.</p><p>He wanted to know why Gray couldn't look at him after the nightmares. Is it because Gray finds it weak? He should know that Natsu would never judge him for something like that, especially when Natsu has had plenty of nightmares himself. So what was it exactly?</p><p>One night at the tail end of summer, Natsu was woken up by none other than the fact that something was off and he was extremely cold.</p><p>"What's with all the noise.. I'm sleepy.." Natsu mumbled before opening his eyes.</p><p>There before him was Gray, tossing and turning, half muttered words spilling out of his mouth. Natsu braced himself on one forearm, still half asleep, and tried shaking Gray awake.</p><p>"Freezer." he mumbled, sleep edging his voice, "Wake up."</p><p>He knows that he probably shouldn't be trying to wake Gray up in the middle of a nightmare as bad as this, but Natsu is tired and not in his right mind. He just wants Gray to be okay and for them to fall asleep in each other's arms again.</p><p>So Natsu tries to shake him a little more firmly, calling him by name this time. "Gray." he still doesn't wake. "Gray-"</p><p>It happens so fast Natsu didn't even have time to blink.</p><p>Gray is suddenly on top of him, eyes soulless and empty, he's not fully conscious. His entire body weight is pressed against Natsu's, and one of his hands is wrapped tightly and freezing against Natsu's throat, making it difficult to breathe.</p><p>"Gray.." Natsu croaks out. "Gray, it's me.. it's okay."</p><p>Natsu wraps a hand around the one on his throat, attempting to pry it off his throat, gasping for breath. He's becoming lightheaded now and black spots are edging into his vision. Natsu uses every ounce of his will power to not throw Gray off of him to relieve the burning pressure throbbing throughout his whole entire body.</p><p>Natsu makes a muffled gasp and only then does Gray stiffen. Gray closes his eyes and when he opens them he looks absolutely horrified. Gray immediately released the brutal hand on his throat and jumps away from him so fast he falls onto the floor, breathing heavily and eyes wide with terror. Natsu rolls onto his side, coughing and sputtering and shaking.</p><p>"Are you alright?" Natsu asks the second he can catch a break from coughing, hands gently reaching up to hold his bruised throat.</p><p>"What.. am I.." Gray starts and he looks like he's going to be sick as he stares up at Natsu with his midnight eyes. "I have to go."</p><p>"What why?" Natsu asks a little louder, "It was my fault so-"</p><p>Gray is in his face faster than he could blink, his eyes are gleaming with absolute fury, <em>"No." </em>He growls out from somewhere deep in his chest. "No."</p><p>Abruptly, he turns around and walks across the room. Natsu stumbles out of bed after him, hand still holding his throat. "Y-You're coming back, aren't you?"</p><p>Gray doesn't respond as he pulls on his boots and stalks out the door.</p><p>Natsu tries to go back to sleep. He tries to tell himself that Gray will come back, that he just needs time.</p><p>But try as he might, he just can't rest. He eventually gets up to go to the bathroom, his neck is really starting to hurt. He flips on the light and almost gags at the sight. A dark hand print is already forming around the width of Natsu's neck. It's black and blue and red.</p><p>But it's almost nothing in comparison to the feeling of Gray being gone without an explanation.</p><p> </p><p>...</p><p> </p><p>Gray doesn't come back for a week.</p><p>And then two weeks.</p><p>Two weeks turn into a month.</p><p>The wound heals nicely, you can only see the slightly pale outline of a hand print when Natsu has his scarf off. The physical wound has healed, but the hole in Natsu's heart that Gray carved out and ran with the moment he left is aching and it just <em>won't go away. </em></p><p>Gray isn't there and it hurts.</p><p>It hurts so bad.</p><p>A month turns into two and Natsu tries to push Gray out of his thoughts.</p><p>(it doesn't really work though, and Natsu tries to forget that too.)</p><p>He dives face first into job requests because that's the only thing worth doing anymore. Natsu only lasts a month before his resolve cracks, going into the guild on day to question Mira.</p><p>"Where is he?" Natsu demands. Mira crosses her arms over her chest and stares Natsu in the eyes, icy and blue (just like a certain someone). Natsu knows in the back of his head that he's being unreasonable but all he can think of is punching Gray all the way into next <em>year</em> for pulling a stunt like this. "I know you know."</p><p>Mira's lips form into a thin line. "I really don't.. I'm sorry Natsu, but it seems like Gray just doesn't want to be found right now." She looks apologetic and her eyes voice the word <em>pity. </em></p><p>Natsu clenches and unclenches his fists, trying to get his breathing to regulate, "So, you don't know <em>anything?"</em></p><p>"All I know is that he stopped by the guild one morning and told me he was leaving for a bit and not to worry about him."</p><p>"And you didn't ask where he was going!?"</p><p>Mira sighs, "Natsu, that is absolutely none of my business. People in this guild have their own ways of dealing with things, especially Gray, and he's an adult now. It's not my place to ask." She pauses before continuing, "I will ask around the other guilds, that's all we can do for now."</p><p>Natsu turns away and leaves the guild hall, teeth grinding and heart pulsing.</p><p> </p><p>...</p><p> </p><p>Natsu wakes up in the forest a week later. He must have passed out from exhaustion; he's been working too much lately. Erza and Lucy tried to interfere a few times, but he just won't stop.</p><p>He's tired.</p><p>He walks into his home, toeing off his sandals and taking off his vest. He's ready to crawl into bed and sleep. But when he turns to his left, his whole body stiffens and it feels like the whole world is being taken out from under him.</p><p>Gray is sitting on his couch, hunched forward</p><p>God, he can't do this right now. He wants Gray, he really does, but now that he's here he doesn't know what to do with himself. He's not ready for this right now.</p><p>"Why are you here?" Natsu hissed through his teeth and in some subconscious part of his mind, he's surprised at how angry he sounds. And then he realizes just how <em>furious</em> he is. Never in his life has he wanted to punch Gray in the face so bad, and that's saying something.</p><p>Hurt flashes briefly across Gray's face but it's quickly covered up by his usual cool-headed demeanor, "I can leave.. if you want me to."</p><p>Natsu is so close to showing him the way out but his heart hurts and his throat is closing up, "No.. just," There is so much running through his head: how lonely it was, if Gray was okay, and <em>why</em> Gray even left in the first place. He wants to scream at him, tell him he hates him, that he needs to get the fuck out of his house and leave because that seems to be the only thing he's good at.</p><p>But somewhere inside the building anger swirling inside, Natsu just wants to know <em>why</em>. It replayed and repeated in his head so many times, like a mantra, "Just.. why are you here Gray?" Natsu barely recognizes his own voice, so broken and defeated.</p><p>Gray flinches, "For you." And Natsu wants to find the nearest object and wack him upside the head with it. Gray must've sensed his fury, because he closes his eyes and braces himself for pain. And just because of that, Natsu stays still. If he was going to punch Gray he would do it when he's not ready for it, so that's unexpected and painful, just like what Gray did to him.</p><p>After a minute of staying still, Gray sighs, "You don't have to listen to me, I don't deserve it. But if you're willing, I have some things to say."</p><p>Natsu's fists clench.. and then they unclench, "Okay.." he sits down in the chair furthest away from Gray, "Talk."</p><p>He runs a hand through his hair, "You know.. how I used to have nightmares?" he begins and Natsu can't help but scoff. Of course he does. The urge to turn this into a brawl becomes stronger and he crosses his arms because he doesn't trust himself.</p><p>Gray stared at Natsu for a moment when he got no response, but quickly looked back down again, "I know you probably thought they were about Zeref.. and all that stuff. But they weren't, I mean," He swallows. "They were about you."</p><p>No response.</p><p>"At first they were about times when you almost died, then they were about times when I had hurt you.. and then they got worse.." Gray goes on, head hanging as if he didn't even deserve to look at Natsu. "I'd dream of hurting you, not in the past, but now. I'd dream of beating you to death or crushing your throat. This new dark power that I have, it scares me. And I would dream of it taking over my body and holding you dead in my arms because I fucking killed you."</p><p>Natsu almost stands up and wraps his arms around Gray. He wants to tell him that it'll be okay, that <em>they'll </em>be okay. But for the first time, he's not sure if it's going to be.</p><p>"And then I almost-"</p><p>"No! You didn't-"</p><p>"Do you think I can't fucking see the scars around your neck?" He snaps, eyes flashing blue with guilt and anger. "I could have- I could've fucking killed you! I could have, if I had just squeezed a little harder and I- I just couldn't live with myself. I didn't want to leave you, I hated every goddamn second of it, every single step I took-" he sighs. "But I just thought I had to do it. For you."</p><p>Natsu stands up, "You didn't hurt me! You could've just talked to me about it! You didn't have to leave, we could've-"</p><p>"I know Natsu!" Gray interrupts. "I know. I know I'm stupid and I fucked this up. You were the longest relationship I've ever had. I didn't even know what I was doing half the time. Sleeping with you was scary, moving in with you was fucking terrifying. I've never opened up to anyone like I have to you. No one."</p><p>"And then.. when I woke up that night, my hands were around your throat, my worst nightmare was playing out right in front of me. I wasn't scared for myself! I was scared for you." His voice cracks and Natsu listens to his words carefully. He sounds so broken.</p><p>"So I went south. Far south. I had heard of some monks down there a while ago and it could've been bullshit but I had to do something Natsu!"</p><p>"They spoke a different language, but somehow they knew exactly what was troubling me. Every morning, there was this strange woman and she would put her hands on my forehead and- well- I don't know, it felt like she was taking away all the bad things. Then there was another person and I would just.. talk to them. I told them about my life, about Fairy Tail and," Gray paused for a moment. "About you."</p><p>Natsu bit his lip so hard it almost started to bleed. "What did you say to her?"</p><p>"That you were the only thing that made me feel like living."</p><p>And suddenly Natsu can't breath. It feels like he got punched in the stomach, that the wind got knocked out of him.</p><p>"Can I come home, Natsu?" He sounds so vulnerable and broken.</p><p>Natsu takes a shuttering breath before flinging himself at Gray, "Idiot." He wipes his tears on Gray's shirt, he hadn't even realized that he was crying.</p><p>But Gray wraps his arms around his body and they're both sobbing. It's wet and gross, but god it was perfect.</p><p> </p><p>...</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>lmao I think this was supposed to be a combo of day 3 and 4 but honestly i have no clue anymore</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>